Whorl mechanism for cap spinning machines



July 23, 1940- E. G. ARCHER 2,208,742

WHORL4 MECHANISM FOR CAP SPINNING MACHINES Filed sept. 1959 ATTORNEYS y Patented July 23, 1940 PATENT OFFICE WHORL MECHANISM FOR CAP SPINNING MACHINES Edward Gibson Archer, Rome, Ga., assigner to i Tubize Chatillon Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application September 8, 1939, Serial No. 293,961

12 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to whorl mechanism for cap spinning machines and has for its object the provision of an improved apparatus of this character. The invention aims to provide an improved arrangement of whorl mechanism (mechanism for supporting and rotating a bobbin) and spindle to eliminate spindle vibration, and to increase spinning speeds. To these ends, the invention comprises a whorl mechanism rotatable around the spindle (usually a dead or nonrotatable spindle) and arranged to prevent any of the rotating parts from contacting the spindle or transmitting vibrations thereto. The invention contemplates mounting the whorl mechanism on a traverse rail, preferably in a pair of spaced anti-friction bearings such as ball or roller bearings, and to mount the spindle in a fixed position and out of physical contact with the whorl mechanism, the bobbin or its support.

In the cap spinning machines having dead spindles heretofore proposed, the whorl mechanism has been partly or wholly supported upon the spindle with the result that vibrations originating in the mechanism have been transmitted to the spindle with objectionable results. Other similar arrangements heretofore proposed aimed to employ the spindle as a bearing support for the bobbin, or bobbin support, and any vibrations due to an unbalance in the rotating mass has been transmitted to the spindle. The term, rotating mass, as used herein, means the whole or any part of the whorl mechanism, bobbin support, bobbin and its package. There are a number of things contributing to an unbalance of the rotating mass, such as the molecular unbalance of the whorl mechanism, bent, dented or injured spindle or whorl, tailings of yarn lodged between the bearing surface of the spindle and whorl tube, slight misadjustments of the brake shoes, and striking of the stitch lap of the drive tape on the whorl. Other causes of vibration include lack of uniformity of the bobbin due to moisture, etc., and the uneven distribution of the yarn on the bobbin. The many causes of vibrations originating in the whorl mechanism and in the bobbin, and their transmission to the spindle have materially interfered with the continuity of spinning operations, caused injury due to caps being thrown oi the spindles, and prevented an increase in spinning speeds.

'I'his invention aims to eliminate the aforementioned objectionable results of the cap spinning apparatus proposed heretofore and to provide an improved spinning apparatus in which the entire rotating mass is supported entirely in suitable bearings mounted upon the traverse rail and out of physical or vibration-transmitting contact with the spindle. In its more complete aspects, the invention comprises a dead spindle fixed to a spindle rail and a whorl mechanism 5 mounted in the traverse rail comprising a pair of spaced ball bearings, means for lubricating the bearings and preventing oil from contacting the spindle or the bobbin, a whorl mounted in the bearings, and a whorl tube attached to the l0 whorl to support the bobbin. The bearings are mounted in a housing fixed to the traverse rail and one of the bearings, preferably the upper bearing, may be arranged to have sufficient clearance to be self-aligning, permitting the whorl l5 axis to shift laterally and the rotating mass to adjust its center of rotation as required to overcome mass eccentricity. Means are provided in the housing to distribute the oil, preferably by centrifugal force, and to prevent it from escaping therefrom and contaminating the yarn. In the apparatus of the invention, the spindle serves merely as a mounting for a stationary bell or cap.

These and other novel features of the invention will be better understood after considering the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawingn which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a whorl mechanism and spindle arrangement embodying the invention; 30

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa view along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of a modified form of upper 35 bearing; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of a different whorl mechanism and spindle arrangement embodying the invention; and 40 Fig. 6 is a plan view of the oil slinger of Fig. 5. The apparatus illustrated in the drawing comprises a whorl mechanism having a bearing housing I, a whorl 2 to which is securely attached a whorl tube 3 and upper and lower bearings 5 and 6 respectively. The housing l is mounted on a traverse rail l, the whorl tube supports a bobbin 8 and the dead spindle 9 is bolted to the spindle rail I0 and carries at its upper end the usual bell or cap II. The whorl mechanism is 50 not in physical or vibration-transmitting contact with the dead spindle.' In otherwords, no part of the rotating members or their supporting or mounting parts are in physical contact with the spindle. It is understood, of l. course, 55

that the absence of physical contact. between the whorl mechanism and the spindle does not include such remote connections as may exist, for example, where the traverse rail and spindle rail are connected to thesame machine, because such remote connections do not transmit any appreciable vibrations.

In the whorl mechanism and dead spindle arrangement illustrated, particularly in Flgs. 1 to 4, the housing I is secured to the traverse rail 1 by the cap screws I2 and is machined on the inside to receive the upper bearing 5 and the lower bearing 6. Each of the bearings comprises the usual inner races I3, outer races I4, and balls I5, and it is understood that roller bearings may be used for the same purpose and are to be regarded as the full equivalent of' ball bearings. The whorl 2 has a housing extension I6, the exterior of which is in snug engagement with the `inside of the races I3. A spacingV ring I1 holds the two bearings apart. 'I'he lower bearing 6 is removably secured tothe whorl extension I6 by the spring ring I6 and the upper bearing 5 is located in the housing by the spring ring I9. A tube 20 of larger diameter than the spindle and of approximately the height of the housing is mounted in the housing concentric to the housing bore and welded to the housing bottom. This tube serves as a means of preventing oil in the housing contacting the spindle. The inside of the whorl extension I6 is larger than the tube 20 forming the annular space 2 I, and is bored on a taper so that it is larger in diameter at a point near the top of the housing than it is at the bottom. The lower portion of the housing has an annular reservoir 22 in which the lubricating oil may accumulate and lateral openings 23 lead the oil into the space 2l between the exten- By reason of the taper.

sion I6 and the tube 26. of the opening formed in the extension, the centrifugal force acting upon the oil causes it to creep up the inclined surface and flow laterally through the plurality of holes 24 in the whorl extension. I may use any suitable wick in these holes to control the flow of oil therethrough and I may also mount an oil slinger 25 in the form of an annulus in snug engagement with the whorl extension to guide the oil outwardly and into contact with the upper bearing 5. It is understood that I may employ one or all of these oil distributing means to lubricate the bearings.

The housing is provided with any suitable closure or lid 26 secured thereto by the bolts 21 having an opening 28 in its center of slightly larger diameter than the adjacent portion of the whorl to enable the rotatable whorl mechanism to move freely in the upper bearing as will be described hereinafter.

The whorl 2 has a grooved portion 36 formed to receive the usual clamp-type brake and a pulley part 3l by means of which it is rotated in the usual way by a drive tape (not shown). The upper end-portion of the whorl has a pair of lugs 32 which engage similarly shaped slots in the bobbin 8. The whorl has a central opening into which the whorl tube 3 is in tight pressed engagement. The tube 3 accordingly rotates with the whorl and supports the bobbin. While the bobbin rests upon the upper portion of the whorl, it is supported with respect to side motion by the whorl tube. The whorl tube may as a matter of convenience have an internal diameter the same as the tube 20 and each of these tubes is sutliciently larger than the spindle 9 may contact with the spindle. It is clear, therefore, that no lubrication is required on the spindle and that vibrations which occur in the rotating elements of the whorl mechanism, including `the bobbin, cannot be transmitted directly to the spindle.

The upper and lower bearings 5 and 6 may be provided with inner and outer races proportioned to effect snug engagement with the whorl extension I6 and the inner surfaces, of the housing, the bearings being given the usual running clearances between the balls and the races. The invention, however, contemplates arranging one of the bearings as a self-aligning bearing and to this end it may be formed tobe mounted in the housing so as to enable it to shift laterally automatically to any center of rotation resulting from eccentricity of the rotating mass. This may be accomplished as shown in Fig. 2 in which the outer race I4 of the upper bearing 6 is a relatively loose t in the housing, or for convenience in extreme cases of operation is kept from physical contact with the housing by making the housing a few thousandths of an inch larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the Iouter race, with a dog screw or dowel 35 set into the housing with a. projection 35 standing out past the inner face of the housing to engage loosely in a slot 31 cut vertically in the outer race I4 suiicient to allow a lateral motion of the bearing assembly and to prevent a rotary motion being imparted to the outer race I4', or as shown in Fig. 4 in which a layer of elastic rubber 38 preferably bonded to the outer surface of the outer race I4 is placed in physical contact with the housing and the outer race I4. In each case, the whorl mechanism tends to pivot on the lower bearing and to assume a natural center of rotation for each particular unbalancing of the rotating mass.

The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 5 is generally similar to that of Fig. l. 'I'he housing I has a central tube 40 fixed to the bottom as by welding, and is bored out internally to receive the upper bearing 5 and the lower bearing 6, each of which has an inner race 43 and an outer racel 44. 'I'he race 44 is secured in a recess 46 by the spring ring 41. It is understood that the upper bearing may be provided with a sufficient clearance or a rubber ring to give it self-aligning or adjusting properties such as the bearings described in connection with Figs. 2 and 4. A pipe (not shown) is screwed into the tapped hole 45 for the purpose of obtaining the desired level of oil in the housing after the bearings are assembled. A channel or groove 48 is cut into the housing on the center line of the tapped hole to allow oil to drain past the outer race 44 through the leveling hole 45 into the leveling pipe. `'I'he whorl extension 5I is machined to effect snug engagement with the inner races of the upper and lower bearings.' The upper bearing is preferably larger in diameter, at the bearing surface and over all, than the lower bearing. The lower portion of the housing is provided with an annular oil receptacle 55 in which the oil slinger 56, which is attached to the extension 5I, is rotated. The oil slinger is best shown in Fig. 6 and is a plate having a collar 51 in spring engagement with the extension 5I and peripheral notches 58. An outwardly inclined hole 59 extends upwardly from the receptacle 55 to the top of the housing and has a lateral duct 60 to guide the oil into the upper bearing from which it that no part of the whorl mechanism or bobbin may drop tothe lower bearing.

The pulley portion 52 of the whorl has a groove 65 at the bottom to engage the usual brake, and Y lugs B6 at the top to engage slots in the bobbin 8. The whorl tube 3 is press tted into the central bore of the whorl and is preferably of about the same diameter as thetube 40, each of which is suiilciently larger than the diameter of the spindle 9 to'prevent any of the rotating parts oi' the whorl mechanism or bobbin to contact with the spindle..

In employing bearings having the usual running clearance -found in ball or roller bearings, the apparatus may be operated at speeds up to 10,000 R. P. M. and it will absorb any vibrations which may occur at such speeds. Invmounting the upper bearing with a free clearance between the outer race and the housing or by using a layer of resilient material therebetween, the vibration eiects may be materially lessened at the same speeds and even higher operating speeds are practically feasible.

'Ihe apparatus of the invention, in addition to the advantages just described, permits an eflicient lubrication of the bearings and prevents oil from being thrown into contact with the bobbin or its package.

Iclaim: s

1. Whorl mechanism for a cap spinning machine which comprises a traverse rail, a bearing mounted on the traverse rail, a whorl rotatably mounted in the bearing, means for supporting a bobbin on the whorl, a dead spindle, said-whorl and means for supporting the bobbin being constructed and arranged to rotate around the dead spindle and out of vibration transmitting coning oil under the action of centrifugal force to one of the two bearings, and a dead spindle, said whorl and means for supporting the bobbin being constructed and arranged to rotate around the spindle and out of vibration-transmitting contact with the spindle.

3. Whorl mechanism for a cap spinning machine which comprises a traverse rail, two antifriction bearings one above the other mounted in the traverse rail, a whorl rotatably mounted in the bearings, means 'for mounting and supporting a bobbin on the whorl, one of the bearings having the usual clearance and the other bearing having a suihciently greater clearance to permit the center of rotation to shift automatically due to eccentricity in the rotating mass, said whorl, bearings and means for mounting the bobbin being spaced from and out of vibrationtransmitting contact with the spindle.

4. Cap spinning apparatus which comprises a whorl, bearing means for mounting the whorl, means for mounting a bobbin on the whorl, and a spindle, the whorl and means for mounting a bobbin on the whorl being rotatably mounted around the spindle in spaced relation with respect to and out of direct or indirect contact with the spindle, whereby vibrations in the whorl are not transmitted to the spindle.

5. Cap spinning apparatus which comprises a whori having a central opening rotatabiy mounted on supporting means, a spindle in the opening and out of vibration-transmitting contact with the whorl, means spaced from the spindie for mounting a bobbinIon the whorl, said Whorl being constructed and arranged to support the bobbin in spaced relation around the spindle.

- 6. In a cap spinning machine, the improvement which comprises in combination an upright spindle iixed to the machine, two bearings one mounted above the other around the spindle, a Whorl having a central opening of greater diameter than the spindle mounted in the bearings and concentric with the spindle, and means on the whorl for supporting a bobbin in spaced relation around the spindle, whereby the spindle is out of vibration-transmitting contact with the rotating member.

7. In a cap spinning machine, the improvement which comprises in combination a traverse rail, an upright spindle, a bearing housing mounted on the traverse rail, two bearings mounted in the housing one above the other, a whorl having a housing extension in engagement with the bearings and a central opening, a whorl tubemounted in the central opening, said housing, bearings, whorl and whorl tube being concentric with and in spaced relation around the spindle, whereby vibrations cannot be transmitted from the rotating members to the spindle,'and means in the housing for lubricating the bearings and preventing oil being thrown out of the housing.

8. In a cap spinning machine, the improvement which comprises in combination a traverse rail, an upright spindle, a bearing housing mounted on the traverse rail, two bearings mounted in the housing one above the other, the upper bearing being of larger diameter than the lower bearing, a whorl mounted in the bearings, said whorl having a central opening, a Whorl tube for supporting a bobbin secured in the central opening, said housing, bearings, whorl and whorl tube being concentric with the spindle but entirely out of contact therewith, and means in the housing to direct lubricant under the action of centrifugal force from the lower portion of the housing to the upper bearing.

9. In a cap spinning machine, the improvement which comprises in combination a traverse rail, an upright spindle, a bearing housing mounted on the traverse rail, two bearings mounted in the housing one above the other, one of the bearings having a relatively loose t in the housing permitting lateral movement, a whorl mounted in the bearings in spaced relation around the spindle', means for mounting a bobbin on the whorl\ 10. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which one of the bearings is self-aligning.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the upper bearing is loosely mounted inthe housing, thereby making it self-aligning.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7 which comprises a layer of resilient material between one of the bearings and the housing, thereby making the :fearing self-aligning.

EDWARD GBSON ARCHER. 

